6.20: Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Angle-closure glaucoma, or closed-angle glaucoma, is an eye condition where the iris bulges out and blocks the iridocorneal angle, resulting in a buildup of aqueous humor and increased intraocular pressure. Immediate medical attention is necessary due to the sudden onset of symptoms. The treatment for angle-closure glaucoma includes short-term and long-term approaches. Short-term treatment involves using eye drops like pilocarpine to lower intraocular pressure by increasing aqueous humor drainage. However, pilocarpine can cause side effects such as blurred vision and night blindness. Long-term treatment options include laser iridotomy, which creates a hole in the iris for aqueous humor drainage, and trabeculectomy. This surgical procedure removes a section of the iris and creates a new path for drainage. Trabeculectomy is also referred to as filtration surgery since the drained aqueous humor collects in the filtering bleb.
